Talking to Your PCP About the DS

Open this document, personalize it to YOUR situation, print it out and take it to your PCP. Tell her it is REALLY important that s/he is willing to learn about the care and maintenance of a DSer, and that s/he will at the very least (1) be willing to order your labs, and (2) not assume everything that is wrong with you will be DS-related.

Thank you!! This is wonderful!!!! Do you happen to have anything that gives general parameters for how much/type of vits to take daily? I know that they will need to be adjusted based on my needs, but I just wanted a general idea. My surgeons office hasn't given me specifics yet and I'm researching what vits I'd like to try

Thank you!! This is wonderful!!!! Do you happen to have anything that gives general parameters for how much/type of vits to take daily? I know that they will need to be adjusted based on my needs, but I just wanted a general idea. My surgeons office hasn't given me specifics yet and I'm researching what vits I'd like to try

Excellent! We have loads and loads of info here and also on www.dsfacts.com. I'd also like to invite you to join the FB Group Duodenal Switch Patients: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2327794810/. Be aware that the "tone" there can be a little rough-sounding, but we have best of intentions and goodwill at heart .

The DS brings a significant learning curve in its path, but almost anyone can manage the information and materials needed to live well with it. The first most important part of doing that well, IMNSHO, is to divest yourself of the idea that "doctor knows best" as regarding life with the DS. This particular procedure differs quite a lot from the other, more commonly performed procedures, and so there just are not very many docs with a real clue about it.

The second important thing is learning how to evaluate information and the sources thereof. This is somewhat harder, but also learnable. There's a group of folks on this particular site, of whom I try to always be one (not always successfully). who put great value on critical thinking and careful evaluation of published material. This place and its denizens are by no means infallible, but one thing is guaranteed here: Someone is always going to look at the source of information published here and ask questions about its validity and accuracy.

I really like that in a support system. Not everyone does. For me, a big chunk of "support" involves helping me get excellent quality information, even if the results go against my grain or do not confirm what I want to be confirmed.

@southernlady: I see Kimberly's pic is sideways - unless she meant it to be, can you fix it? Hi @Kimberly B - I see you figured out how to post!

The vitamin issues are a whole nother thing - while you may want to inform your PCP about the supplementation routine you are following, expect to watch the top of their heads explode at the thought of taking 50K IU/day of D3. Tell them to trust you and to test you in 3-6 months. I don't use any prescription vitamins, but you may find it helpful to ask for a prescription for prenatals, depending on your insurance plan. I get a bottle of 100 generic Prenavite for less than $12 OTC, so I don't bother.

Just such a well thought out guide-thank you! Especially the part about possible bowel obstruction even though passing stools + gas! Even though I have full knowledge of the details of the DS I'm about to have, I had to read that part twice to get over my deeply ingrained view that "as long as stuff is coming out, it's not that serious". Sheesh! If I need reminding, how much more the average ER Dr. ! I'm going to print this and carry it in my wallet and add one to my wife's purse in case of an emergency. I may even add a bracelet and on it ask them to refer to this in my wallet. I honestly think it's just starting to hit me how different our bodies are after DS. ER's are basically cookie cutter operations. They want to treat everyone the same, medicate everyone the same, etc. It's never been more clear to me that the luxury of being a passive patient is over. We need to be very aware of our need to educate and guide doctors/nurses as they treat us. Some might not like it...trust me on that. But it's critical that we advocate for ourselves effectively.

The vitamin issues are a whole nother thing - while you may want to inform your PCP about the supplementation routine you are following, expect to watch the top of their heads explode at the thought of taking 50K IU/day of D3. Tell them to trust you and to test you in 3-6 months. I don't use any prescription vitamins, but you may find it helpful to ask for a prescription for prenatals, depending on your insurance plan. I get a bottle of 100 generic Prenavite for less than $12 OTC, so I don't bother.

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When I went to my new PCP (who I love and drive over an hour to get to his office), I told him I took a lot of vitamins and I needed to have blood levels to know I'm on track. I told him he didn't really want to know how much I take and I couldn't remember off the top of my head. (This was before my vitamin rebellion). My levels all came back in normal range, then at the next appt, I had him sign the medical necessity form so I could buy my vites out of my health care spending account. I told him, this is what I take and you have seen my blood results based on those vites. He happily signed the form. Only test he wouldn't run because I'm no longer diabetic was an A1C.

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